H. Lee Waters, Hillsborough, NC, January 19 and 20, 1937 [MPF.87.1]
From the collections of the State Archives of North Carolina. This silent, black-and-white film contains footage shot by H. Lee Waters (1902-1997) of Hillsborough, North Carolina in Orange County on 19-20 January 1937. The call number for this item is MPF.87.1.
Length: 19 minutes
Production Year: 1937
Closed captions: Not available
H. Lee Waters (1902-1997) operated a photography studio on Main Street in Lexington, North Carolina, for more than 60 years. For most of that time, his work covered the standard range of commercial still photography-weddings, portraits, school groups-but during the lean years of the late Depression Waters hit the road with a 16mm camera and projector and created "Movies of Local People" eventually accumulating a body of work depicting at least 118 communities primarily in North Carolina but also including nineteen places in South Carolina, nine in Virginia, and one in Tennessee. Waters' films reveal the comings and goings of everyday life on the streets of the towns he filmed-men, women, and children going in and out of stores, walking down the sidewalks, often smiling and waving at the camera but sometimes unaware of its presence. Often parades, festivities, and school children were featured. Waters developed a fluid and expressive style, and the films feature an often vivacious depiction of community life along with beautiful portraits and experimental special effects. His movies would be screened with feature films in the local theater for a modest fee, and they served as a marketing tool for the theater by enticing more people to come to the movies. These short silent films were a commercial and artistic success, and in the mill towns and the small cities of the Textile Belt, thousands of people saw themselves and their communities on the big screen. These films record ordinary and extraordinary people, businesses, and events at a pivotal time in small town southern America, and they often show individuals and places that would not have been documented on film in any other circumstance. Waters' films provide the only extant visual documentation of commercial enterprises and events in many instances.
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The Waters family maintains the copyright to the films made by H. Lee Waters (1902-1997). As public access has improved, we are pleased with the interest being shown in this unique collection and feel that the community building activities and educational purposes for which they are being used would be greatly appreciated by Mr. Waters.
The family takes seriously its obligation to protect the integrity of this large body of work and it is our wish that the original intended uses be respected. The films digitized by The State Archives of North Carolina should be exhibited or displayed in the form of videos and not screen captured as still photographs. The still image collection by H. Lee Waters is housed at the Davidson County Historical Museum (DCHM). The family’s agreement with DCHM states that there will be no duplicate collection of still photographs. We encourage groups wishing to identify individuals in the films to utilize other ways of viewing this material. We ask that people who have received permission to use the films refrain from sharing this material with third parties.
Any commercial requests should be directed to the State Archives of North Carolina, Office of Registrar for review. The family (Tom Waters and Mary Waters Spaulding) asks the State Archives of North Carolina to notify us of any commercial requests. Such requests would then need to be negotiated with the family.
![H. Lee Waters, Hillsborough, NC, October 16 and 17, 1939 [MPF.87.2]](/img/d.gif)
Пікірлер: 37
My father, William Chance, operated the theaters (yes, there were two) in Hillsborough and hired Lee Waters to take these movies to show at the theaters as a way to bring in more customers. That's me in the pedal car in our front yard in West Hillsborough. My mother later donated the films to the Historical Society.
@annchance5693
9 жыл бұрын
ann chance
@fanoboss
8 жыл бұрын
+ann chance incredible, thank you
@TheDarXide.
7 жыл бұрын
Wow! A million thanks to your mom and dad for this. I've lived in Hillsborough all my life, im 30 now and it's very fascinating to see how much this town thrived 80 years ago. I wondered if anyone in these films were still around, then I saw your comment. Thank you!
My home town!!!! So amazing to see this!!!
My mama saw her sister Eva at 6:34 through 6:37. She was so excited. Eva is 89 now.
I remember most of this, and a lot of the people. Especially Mr. Grady Brown, Principal of Hillsborough High, and Glen Auman, Coach and Phys Ed. Mr. James, and "Chunk" Forrest, and others. Of course the school was 1-12 even when I started. I've seen this film before but not this quality. I would like to know how to get one this good. I was born in Hillsborough and graduated High School in 1964. I knew Mr. Chance and as a kid we always went to the movies on Sat. mornings. Twenty-five cents got you in, with a drink and box of popcorn. So I guess Mr. Cates ran the W.Hillsborough theater after WW2? My Uncle was a projectionist there several years. Wish the town was still like this.
16:38 Fred Cates, Sr. My grandfather whom we called "Big Daddy." He was a conductor on the Southern Railroad, a partner in Cates Bros and the Cates Coal Co.
Great historical footage of what life was like in 1937.
7:10 My Aunt Nancy Cates and the little boy to her left is my father. Fred Cates. Jr.
9.27. Cates Bros. My great aunt Opal and her husband Herbert Cates. Aunt Opal was a post mistress in West Hillsborough and also had a cafe. She made the best banana pudding ever! Next is the soda fountain at James Pharmacy. It looked the same in the late 50's and early 60's of my memory. Pharmacist could be Mr Loyd.
My grandparents, Dr. Robinette (Bob) Burns Hayes and Minnie Bond Anderson Hayes, at 3:39.
@Ehimaniac
Жыл бұрын
It’s the first time I’ve seen candid photos of our grandparents, who both died before I was born.
18:24. Lady on left could be Mrs. Dot Cole.
Would love to know names. Recognized places and even what seemed to be familiar faces- perhaps a friend's parents or grandparents.
those days people worked hard
Wow, recognized many of the places, but none of the faces.
@chamboyette853
9 жыл бұрын
You're still living in Hillsborough NC?
@martygrant
9 жыл бұрын
No. I left there in 1983.
@chamboyette853
9 жыл бұрын
Marty Grant Now I understand. That's why you changed high schools after 10th grade. Do you ever go back?
@martygrant
9 жыл бұрын
chamboyette853 you might be mixing me up with someone else. I lived in Hillsborough until I graduated from Orange High in 1983. I lived there another few months after that. My parents remained there a few more years. I have no family there now or any close friends so I haven't been back. I did make the 10 year class reunion in 1993, but none since then.
@chamboyette853
9 жыл бұрын
Marty Grant Sorry about that man. I actually did know another Marty Grant at Orange High who graduated in 1985. In any case, we weren't very far apart. I think Mr Halkiotis was the principal during your senior year?
Who needs "Humans of New York"? This is a thousand times more interesting. Wonderful preservation. So glad this has been saved.
No overweight people, everybody looks so healthy!
@lol-un6nl
3 жыл бұрын
thats because most people were underweight
@mbankslje0nk
2 жыл бұрын
They smoked like chimneys though!
One thing that's very evident and gives me chills to see, besides the fact that everyone's smoking, is that downtown Hillsborough was very very white in those days. Keep in mind that the schools and the town were still segregated at this time. Note the all-white student body emerging from the school. African American bodies were not even welcome at the mortuary at that time-and weren't until the late 1960s. An African American neighbor told me that "back in the day" -he's talking 50s and 60s, his mama would whip him if he went South on Nash or East on King because "that was the white people's neighborhood." I am delighted these images exist and applaud the filmmaker for doing it, but I've no nostalgia for segregation, that's for sure.
@bennygraham847
6 жыл бұрын
something that's not know about hillsborough is that it was where white slave owners had free black women to have as concubines. my grandmother was one of the children. there is no official record of her birth. i've always thought it strange how that went on.
@williamguillIII
3 жыл бұрын
I guess you must have not watched this film in it's entirety. I saw Blacks in one of the stores looking at some type of garments. I also saw them downtown walking the streets, smiling at the camera, etc. You also have to realize that at that time, tobacco was a staple crop raised all over the South. Hillsborough is in the tobacco belt, or at that time it was. Those times were different for sure. I miss the old Hillsborough, it once was.
@mbankslje0nk
2 жыл бұрын
@@williamguillIII doesn't change the historical fact of the racism in that period of time.
@williamguillIII
2 жыл бұрын
@@mbankslje0nk No it doesn't and I don't think this video should be interpreted by some as showing any forms of racism at that time period either.
@mbankslje0nk
2 жыл бұрын
Do you have reading comprehension issues? Read what I wrote and don't just react.
No obesity, no tats that are visible anyway, these folks look a whole lot healthier and happier than people do these days.